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<p>Where the release of a prisoner is at the discretion of the Parole Board, the panel
must apply the statutory release test which requires the Board to be ‘satisfied that
it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that a prisoner should
be confined’.</p><p> </p><p>Parole panels comprise one or more members according to
the needs and complexity of the case. Some, but not all, Parole Board panels include
a psychologist member of the Parole Board.</p><p> </p><p>At an oral hearing, the parole
panel will hear evidence and witnesses may include a prison psychologist and/or an
independent psychologist.</p><p> </p><p>Psychologist members of the Parole Board do
not undertake psychological assessment of prisoners nor do they give evidence to the
parole panel. They sit in the same capacity as other members of the panel to assess
the risk of serious harm to the public. The panel must determine whether the public
would be at risk of further serious violent or sexual offending if the prisoner were
to be released. Psychologist members have professional knowledge of psychology to
assist the panel in considering the psychological assessment that forms part of the
broad range of evidence before the panel.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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